Jack Williams’ lawyer believes his case will not go to trial, will end favorably

Vestavia Hills-Republican, longtime State Rep.Jack Williams‘ lawyer reportedly does not believe Williams’ case will go to trial and that whatever the solution it will end favorably for him.

Williams, along with former Alabama Republican Party Chairman Martin “Marty” Connors, California-based health care executive G. Ford Gilbert were arrested in April on federal bribery charges. This week, a new defendant was added to the case. Outgoing Daphne-Republican State Rep. Randy Davis was also indicted on Wednesday by a feral grand jury on charges of bribery and conspiracy.

In light of the new filing against Davis, Williams’ attorney Jake Watson told AL.com he expects to see a resolution soon, and that Williams could avoid the trial currently scheduled for September 4.

“All I can say is that we are in the process of resolving the previous indictment. And I would think it will be resolved within the next few weeks,” Watson continued. “I expect it to be resolved in a manner that is favorable to the government and to Mr. Williams.”

According to the indictment originally filed in April, Defendant Gilbert is the owner of a California company that operates diabetes treatment centers throughout the world—Trina Health, LLC (Trina Health). In 2014 and 2015, Trina Health opened three clinics in Alabama. Soon thereafter, the state’s largest health insurer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama (a.k.a. Blue Cross), informed Trina Health that it would not cover the treatments provided by them. Gilbert then schemed to force Blue Cross to change its position.

He came up with a plan to push a bill through the Alabama Legislature’s 2016 session that would require Blue Cross to cover the treatments. Gilbert then made payments to State of Alabama House Majority Leader Micky Hammon in exchange for his efforts on behalf of the bill. Gilbert also hired Defendant Connors to act as a lobbyist on behalf of the bill. Connors knew of Gilbert’s payments to Majority Leader Hammon.

Hammon and Connors then recruited Defendant Williams, the chairman of the Commerce and Small Business Committee of the Alabama House of Representatives, to hold a public hearing on the bill. Williams also knew of the payments to Hammon and acted in part to help Hammon, who, as everyone in the scheme knew, was experiencing grave financial problems.

The indictment does not include charges against Hammon since he has already been convicted in federal court of other offenses related to mail fraud and misusing campaign funds.

Williams plead “not guilty” in a federal arraignment later in April. “I have done nothing wrong, and once the facts are presented, I expect to be found innocent by a jury of all the allegations outlined in Monday’s indictment,” he said in a statement.

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